Ruger#1 vs New Win High Wall

[218bee]

I've always wanted a modern single shot and have never had the money when I've come across one I've liked. I now see both Ruger and Win make their respective models in 300 H&H. To me this would be a great "one gun" rifle if I were ever forced into such an ungodly situation.
My purpose for this rifle would be twofold...hunting and reloading/ load development. As for hunting this would be a lower 48 proposition for 98% of what I hope to do. What I really enjoy though is reloading and playing with a rifle to see what its capable of. But I am not looking for a discussion of the caliber as thats a whole new can of worms.
So I've heard all about the Ruger forend and the steps many take to improve that fit for accuracy. Never heard much good or bad about the Winny. Looking for people with experience with one or both of these for their likes and dislikes about them. I'd be putting a scope on rifle if I did buy one...any problems there/ How are the triggers? fit and finish? anything else I should be aware of?
I would hope 1" @ 100yds accuracy with tailored loads would not be too much to ask for is it? Thats better than needed for hunting but I would hope that would be achieveable. Any thoughts (besides caliber choice) will be appreciated.
What say ye.......

[Gtek]

I have three Browning/Win-Japs, I am very happy with mine. Two of them required just a touch to float handguard, they were floating but fit really close. .223, 30 WCF, 32-40. I breech seat the latter two. The .223 is .3"-.5" @ 100 with my roll your own. Triggers have been very lightly touched, still at 2+. Fit and finish were really nice, factory trigger could be better. Good luck with your mental volley ball! Gtek

[uscra112]

The Winchester, without a doubt.

For one thing, the Ruger has too darned many moving parts. And there are all the well-known problems with making it accurate.

The Winchester is a pretty simple, and very strong machine. And it warn't for not reason that a good few of the old Schuetzen geniuses used the 1885 action, including Harry Pope.

As for strength and build quality, I would trust a Jap/Browning, but anything from Europe or South America I would be leery of. (That's based only on reading - all of mine are originals.)

I for one have never have gotten used to not having an exposed hammer on a hunting rifle. My Borchardt is a fine piece, but I can see why it wasn't popular with hunters back in the day. Maybe it's because I cut my teeth on a 336 Marlin?

Scopes have to be mounted on the barrel, but that's no big deal.

In my experience, one MOA is pretty darned good for a High Wall of any stripe, but it's also much better than I can shoot without a solid bench and bags, so I don't sweat it with any of mine. One MOA with the .300 H&H may not be do-able at all, but what do I know? All three of mine are varmint calibers. (Although I'm switching one to the .357 Max.)

The .300 H&H will be a he-man cartridge in any single shot. I presume you're immune to recoil.

[NickSS]

I have owned both and for care free good accuracy the Winchester gets the nod. I had at least 3 No 1s that never did shoot as well as they should have compared to zero problems with Browning/ Winchesters I have owned. As to strength they are both about as strong as any person would want.

[bigted]

i also will chime in with the had///have both and they both have their place...having said as much id endorse the jap hiwall over the ruger. where the ruger has it over the hiwall is the firing pin...it is outta sight for the unexpected ocasion of a blown or punchture primer. the action is just as strong i believe on the hiwall but the firing pin is directly exposed behind that hammer rite even with your cheek / eye. this does not hampper me at all tho.

my hi-walls...[ i have 4 ] all shoot minute of angle and the browning bpcr was the last to do so but finally figured it out as well. my 45-70 will cluster 5 into an inch easy with my load and the 38-55 with jacketed loads will do 3/4 inch at 100 for 5 almost every time i wanna do so.

will your 300 come into the 1 inch at 100....yep no doubt about it with the hi-wall...more work involved with the ruger in my opinion but im bettin you could bring it in as well with the correct foolin.

buy the hi-wall tho and enjoy the distoric lines when fondeling it round the campfire. and for the respectfull look that we all desire ...purchase a unertl scope with the outside adjustments and learn to pull it back n turn it a bit to the right with every shot and the 24 inch long scope in the adjustable mounts will have everybody wondering just what in the world did you bring grandads gun out for...LOL

ENJOY

[Tatume]

Currently I have six of one and two of the other. Both models have the fore end attached to a hanger. Sometimes the older Rugers benefited from shimming the fore end down, away from the barrel. The older Winchester (Browning/Miroku) models sometimes bind on one side, and must be shimmed or relieved to free it.

That said, none of my recently-made Ruger No. 1 rifles had fore end issues, and my most recent Miroku High Wall had the fore end bedded at the factory, with what appears to be Marine Tex.

Both are fine guns, and you should make your choice based on what appeals to you. You'll find either to shoot well.

[Shooter]

I have both. The Ruger handles better than the highwall. The safety is easier to use than the hammer, and there is less to catch the fingers.

[Reload3006]

Both are beautiful works of art and I would almost do deviate things for one. So far I just cant justify the cost maybe some day.

[Gunlaker]

I've had some of each. The short barrel on the Ruger #1 would make it a handier hunting rifle in bushy areas. But as far as accuracy goes, the modern 1885's I've owned were certainly more accurate than the Rugers. I never liked the feel of the Ruger trigger compared to the 1885 either.

Chris.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Well, I like single shot rifles, but for hunting don't want to be dealing with an exposed hammer and agree that the safety is much quicker to deal with.

For a varmit rifle, the high wall would be a joy to use, but for hunting, again there is the hammer. SORRY, it is just a personal thing and nothing against any who might use and like the exposed hammer rifles.

Break open single shots like the handi-rifle -- won't go there again for personal reason, just WON'T!!!!!!!!!

Thompson Center Contender etc. -- like them and have been there and done that but not in rifle barrel lengths.

AS to the "well known" problems with getting a RUGER #1 to shoot, well don't go there until you have seen it for yourself. Most of it is just ol'wives tails, or just plain bull from someone with a hate for RUGERs in general.

This is not to say there are not #1 rifles with issues, but I truely believe the same can be said for the High WAll. There is nothing mechanical made by man that does not have an "issue" at some point for some reason.

My self, I have owned and loved RUGER #1s for years, and never, not once have I had one which would not shoot and do so in fine fashion.

AS a matter of course, I come down BIG on hunting rifle consistancy and for that reason, bed and float the forearm wood on a #1, just like I float any bolt action hunting rifle I may have. Bedding depends on what the stock is made of.

So, go with what rings your bell, but forget the "well Known" issues with getting a RUGER #1 to shoot. Most of the "well Known" issues are the few real "issues" passed many times from one person to another.

There is not a single #1 I have used and enjoyed over the years that I wouldn't welcome back in less then a second. Not one!

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[218bee]

thanks for the info guys....don't know if I can afford one at this point but sure am thinkin of ways to do so.

[Hang Fire]

The Winchester is a pretty simple, and very strong machine. And it warn't for not reason that a good few of the old Schuetzen geniuses used the 1885 action, including Harry Pope.

From what I have been reading, the Marlin Ballards were the most celebrated rifles of the Schuetzen era. The Ballard actions were highly praised by Pope and he mated many of his legendary barrels to them.

[rr2241tx]

The Winchester is a simpler design and in the field simple often equals reliable. Also sounds like you would be well served by a single set trigger which will help with your 1MOA goal and could be switched out for the stock trigger for hunting.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

If you have a "single set trigger" like a Canjar, there is no need to do any switching.

I would guess, they are still being made, but the Canjar single set trigger was a great way to go.

The "set" portion or the trigger was inset into the wide trigger and to set, you simply pushed forward on the trigger and the set portion popped out sightly from the face of the trigger.

The wide trigger looked a lot like the "trigger shoes" which attached to the standard trigger with a couple of small set screws and allowed for what might be a better feeling trigger.

In fact, if you were not aware of the Canjar trigger, You would very likely not even know what you were seeing.

AS per the High Wall being "more relyable" because of less parts, well that is simply a non-issue. AT least, I have never seen or heard of parts breakage on a #1.

It really comes down to what rings your bell, as they are both fine rifle. Different yes, but both fine.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[August]

The Hi Wall is John Moses' first design. Number 1 Hi Wall, the patent model, is in the Cody Museum and it will have you standing flat footed in awe if you ever get there to take a look at it.

The No. 1 (3) is Bill Ruger's homage to John Moses and a fine tribute.

Have both, shoot both, love both. It's possible to disassemble the Ruger, the Browning (Winchester) not so much.

[uscra112]

From what I have been reading, the Marlin Ballards were the most celebrated rifles of the Schuetzen era. The Ballard actions were highly praised by Pope and he mated many of his legendary barrels to them.

True, the Ballard was indeed very popular, and I can see why - my .22 offhand rifle is a Ballard, also one of my Lovells, built by Sedgley. But Harry's personal rifle for many years before his eye injury finished his shooting career was a High Wall, much modified as only the master could do it. Dr. W.G. Hudson, one of the only men who could consistently match and even beat Pope, used a number of actions, including High Walls. A lot of Pope barrels also went on Stevens actions, especially during the short period when he actually worked at Stevens. And Marlin stopped making the Ballard in 1891, so if you wanted a new action from then on it was a Winchester, until Stevens introduced the Model 44 1/2 in 1903.

[DHB]

If you go with a new Browning/Winchester I believe they come with the barrel drilled and tapped. Scope sighting is then not a problem. I shoot #1s, #3s, Brownings Winchesters, and Originals. I like the John Browning design, High Wall, MUCH better. If I'm not mistaken some of the High Walls (modern) appear to fall only to half cock when you try to manually lower the hammer. My Winchester 22 LR does this. If the rifle is empty, I would prefer the hammer to rest on the block. Getting one hole groups (clover leafs) is much easier in a High Wall than a Ruger from my experience. Ruger is the stronger action. Good luck and let us know.
Happy Birthday Jesus! God Bless Us Everyone.
DHB

[Tatume]

Getting one hole groups (clover leafs) is much easier in a High Wall than a Ruger from my experience. Ruger is the stronger action.

As the owner of mulitple examples of each, I can say without doubt that they are equally capable of fine accuracy, right out of the box.

The Ruger is probably the stronger of the two actions, but the distinction is academic. Both are offered by the factories chambered for belted magnums, and have adequate margins of safety.

Take care, Tom

[montana_charlie]

As for strength and build quality, I would trust a Jap/Browning, but anything from Europe or South America I would be leery of.

I won't weigh in on either side of the topic, but I have read the replies.
I am amazed to read the statement above.

The Europeans were building exquisite firearms when the Japanese were still dependent on swords and arrows.

That's not to say that Japan has not learned to build fine firearms ... but the Europeans certainly have not forgotten how to.
The thread author would like to have a rifle chambered in .300 H&H.
That means Holland & Holland ... a European rifle and shotgun maker who still puts a thousand hours into every gun they turn out.
Absolutely every part is hand fitted to every other part within the gun.

CM

[big dale]

I traded for a Ruger #1 in 338 Win Mag for a very good price due to all the scabbard wear on both the stock and the rest of the rifle. It always shot groups of about 1.25 inch from the bench and kicked like a mule. It was more accurate than I could stand to shoot for long. After about a year I traded it for a Model 700 Varmiter in 223 that I still have 25 years later. My first Ruger #1 was a heavy barreled model in 25 Super. I have also had several other #1's and I like them a lot. I have always wanted one of the Winchesters with a heavy barrel in 25/06. Maybe some year I will find one when I have a few bucks.

I hope you enjoy chasing single shot rifles for a few decades like I have.

Have fun with this stuff.

Big Dale